The junk wax era

[Exhibitman]

Modern = 1981-1986
Junk Wax = 1987-1994
Refactor and #d Era 1995-present

The difference is that modern can be somewhat challenging with all of the production flaws and full bleed colored borders but junk wax is available in abundance in essentially flawless condition. Last National I pulled so many perfect looking major RCs and stars from junk boxes, cards that have lost 90% or more of their value since their peaks.

[tonyo]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Modern = 1981-1986
Junk Wax = 1987-1994
Refactor and #d Era 1995-present

I'm straying off the theme of the OP a bit - my apologies!

I'm certainly not in tune with print runs and the like, so this is just based on the perceptions I've formed in an attempt to consolidate my collection.

I always consider modern and shiney to be synonyms in the trading card vernacular so in my mind when color photos were added to the backs, that's an "era shift " to me anyway. I think 89 ud were the first (mainstream anyway) then it seems like it may have taken till 92 for other sets to show up with color photos on the back.

That Refractor/#'d differentiation seems like a good marker for modern as well though

I personally categorize my post war collection by decades:
40's & 50's
60's (although 57 thru 73 also seems like a reasonable group due to card size and series)
70's (although It does seem like 73 being the last issued in series is a good mark in time)
80's (I could easily throw 1980 in with the 70's and make the entrance of fleer/donruss a mark in time)
90's (as indicated above, 89 upper deck really belongs in this group for me, and a handful of early 90's issues with no color photo on the reverse really belong in the 80's)
2000's (I have very few beyond 1999, so no need for me to further establish any other groups)

[ronniehatesjazz]

Originally Posted by tonyo

I'm straying off the theme of the OP a bit - my apologies!

I'm certainly not in tune with print runs and the like, so this is just based on the perceptions I've formed in an attempt to consolidate my collection.

I always consider modern and shiney to be synonyms in the trading card vernacular so in my mind when color photos were added to the backs, that's an "era shift " to me anyway. I think 89 ud were the first (mainstream anyway) then it seems like it may have taken till 92 for other sets to show up with color photos on the back.

That Refractor/#'d differentiation seems like a good marker for modern as well though

I personally categorize my post war collection by decades:
40's & 50's
60's (although 57 thru 73 also seems like a reasonable group due to card size and series)
70's (although It does seem like 73 being the last issued in series is a good mark in time)
80's (I could easily throw 1980 in with the 70's and make the entrance of fleer/donruss a mark in time)
90's (as indicated above, 89 donruss really belongs in this group for me, and a handful of early 90's issues with no color photo on the reverse really belong in the 80's)
2000's (I have very few beyond 1999, so no need for me to further establish any other groups)

Hate to be pedantic but 88 Score had photos on the back and Sportflicks (not a major brand) started in 87 or maybe even 86.

[tonyo]

Originally Posted by ronniehatesjazz

Hate to be pedantic but 88 Score had photos on the back and Sportflicks (not a major brand) started in 87 or maybe even 86.

Thanks, I figured I'd overlooked some...... the gist remains the same. at least I learned a new word (pedantic)


btw I like the 89 Score design

[ocjack]

I consider the post-war era to end when they stopped issuing cards by series in 1974 (maybe '75?).